CARLSBAD  A developer planning an upscale ‘destination’ mall in Carlsbad has held more than 100 community meetings over the past 19 months gathering input, but so far hasn’t submitted a proposal to the city or otherwise revealed exactly what the project would include.

Excitement is growing nonetheless — the mall would be built by Caruso Affiliated, the company behind the wildly popular The Grove mall in Los Angeles and The Americana in Glendale.

The goal of gathering so much input is creating a shopping plaza the community will embrace as enthusiastically as those projects, company officials said this week.

Carlsbad leaders have praised Caruso for that approach, but they and residents are eager to see what’s envisioned for the 50-acre site at the northeast corner of Interstate 5 and Cannon Road — and how it will fit with the surrounding area.

“All the friends I’ve talked to would like to see their plans and what their thoughts are,” said Ursula Monaco Sweeney, a longtime Carlsbad resident who attended a Caruso meeting last year. “I’d like to see some anchor stores, restaurants and upscale things.”

Caruso officials have been tight-lipped about their plans. Rick Caruso, the company’s chief executive, declined requests for an interview this week.

A company spokeswoman said the project will be unique, but that residents should expect something similar to The Grove.

“We’ve received consistent feedback that the community would like to see something of the same level of quality and experience as what we deliver at The Grove,” said the spokeswoman, Liz Jaeger.

She said the project wouldn’t include housing.

The Grove, in LA’s Fairfax District, features Art Deco architecture and includes shopping alleys, broad plazas, a central park, an animated fountain and small courtyards.

It also has a Nordstrom, a high-end clothing story that coastal North County lacks. The four Nordstrom stores in San Diego County are in Escondido, La Jolla, Mission Valley and downtown San Diego.

The Carlsbad site is next to the environmentally sensitive Agua Hedionda Lagoon and the project is expected to displace the Carlsbad Strawberry Fields, forcing them to move farther east on Cannon.

Eight years ago, community opposition forced Lennar Homes to give up on plans for a large mixed-use project in the same area.

Mayor Matt Hall agreed that Caruso’s approach of extensive research and community meetings has been unusual.

“It’s not like they’re coming in and dictating,” said Hall, complimenting the company for its thoughtful approach. “It’s a different way of doing things. I think it’s very professional.”

Hall said he’s as eager to see the plans as anyone, but added that he’s confident the project will be something special.

“The two projects they’ve shown me — The Grove and The Americana — are among the top five retail centers in the country,” he said. “You couldn’t ask for a better developer.”

On Caruso Affiliated’s website, Caruso describes in general terms the kind of project he hopes to build in Carlsbad.

He says he’d like it to be an “open-air” plaza with fountains, “sunlit benches” and other “people-watching” spots.